Lithuanian Radio and Television

LINGYTĖ Laima, Television director

That night I was on the eighth floor of the RTV Center. When we heard the roar of tanks, we rushed to count the military vehicles moving towards Karoliniškės. We counted 58. There was a terrible crash and the TV tower was lit up by a red glow. There was another crash and the lights in the tower went out.

Soon a horrible noise rang out, the windows shattered and paratroopers broke into the corridor, cursing like crazy. The roar of those infuriated men stuck in my mind more than anything... No one noticed us for a long time, even though the door was open. On the television screen we saw paratroopers nearing the central control panel. It began to get smokey. They noticed us. A paratrooper broke into the room, and aiming his gun, stopped in front of us. We stood there and looked at him. He was calm, but his eyes were glassy. I thought it was already the end... But the paratrooper said as quietly as he could: „Prikazivaju ostavitj pomeščenije." (“I order you to leave the premises") We found ourselves outside. I joined the crowd, which was chanting “Lithuania!" They were shooting from all directions, and there were explosions all around. People rushed in different directions, but I can be proud of Lithuanians - there wasn't panic. For that entire nightmarish hour you could here: “Fascists!... Lithuania!"